Journey to Life
by JTLTangoNova
Summary: This is the story of a young traumatized girl's journey to finding the value of life and love. It starts off at the beginning of the The Two Towers and continues from there. I started this story several years ago and now I am finishing it.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters of the LOTR books (Legolas, Aragorn, Éowyn, Théoden etc.). They are all the property of our beloved genius J.R.R. Tolkien. The other characters are mine. Also, please note that I will use a bit of the dialogue that can be seen either in the books or the movies to set up the scenes. I do not own that particular dialogue. They are property of J.R.R. Tolkien or Peter Jackson. I admit it, they rule!

**Author's note:** I started this story several years ago. I am back now to finish it!

**_Prologue_**

This story starts off at the beginning of the "Two Towers" movie, where Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli are looking for Merry and Pippin. They have been running for some days now, resting little and eating less. Before yesterday, they found one of the hobbit's mallorn-leaf of Lórien on the ground. With renewed hope they now continue their journey.


	2. Chapter 1

**_Chapter 1: Shelter_**

Aragorn and Gimli were exhausted. Legolas being an elf could still continue, but he understood his companion's need for some rest. Anyway, as they had traveled through the plains today, the clouds had become quite threatening. They would probably have to stop soon anyway.

"If we do not find some shelter, we shall be unpleasantly soaked", Aragorn said wearily as he looked at the sky.

They continued to run until Legolas who was always looking around, stopped suddenly and peered far away into the distance, at the forest on their left. The dwarf, who for once had not been far behind, ran into him.

"Sorry", Legolas grinned as Gimli sent him a disgruntled look.

Aragorn, hearing Gimli's grunt, halted and turned back to look at his companions.

"What do your elf-eyes see, Legolas?" he asked.

"I see an abode at the edge of the forest. Over there", he pointed.

Aragorn looked in the direction that the elf was pointing, but was not surprised to see nothing but trees. He could not see detail at such a distance.

"Do you see anything else?" he asked of the elf.

Legolas looked towards him and shook his head. Aragorn looked up at the sky again and at the black clouds hovering above them in a huge mass of darkness. Soon, darkness would fall as the sun was setting somewhere behind the clouds. He came to a decision.

"Let's try and reach it then", he said decisively. They needed to rest and hopefully eat a little before continuing on their way.

Legolas and Gimli nodded and sprinted off towards the forest. Aragorn watched them for a moment before following. While Legolas could probably continue, he and Gimli had limits to how long they could run without sustenance or rest. Not that Gimli would ever admit that. At least not in front of the Elf. He sighed. Yes, it was a necessary evil to stop for a little while. He just hoped that the Uruk-hai would do the same.

Within an hour, they approached the abode cautiously. Nowadays, none could be too sure if they would find a friend or foe in strange lands.

The home itself was not very inviting as it was very old and run down. It was made of wood and looked like it had been standing there a few centuries too long. Many a hole could be found in the walls and the roof.

"Someone lives here. Look", Legolas said, pointing towards the right side of the abode.

In the approaching darkness, although they squinted, Gimli and Aragorn could not make out the dark shape close to the house.

"What is it Legolas? We cannot see" said Aragorn resignedly.

Legolas sometimes forgot that his companion's eyesight was not that great. He peered again into the darkness.

"It is a stable of some sort and I can see a horse tethered there", replied the elf. "There are no other movements."

As they got closer, Legolas saw that the house was surrounded by a low wooden gate. Although in a good state, it would not offer much resistance to an invader. It was most probably there in order to provide the horse with an exercise pen. He looked again at the stable, which was not much more than a few planks of wood nailed together haphazardly, and saw that indeed there was only one horse, a gray one, who looked to be very healthy. Its muscles were well developed and it had a proud head. It whined as it heard them approach.

When they were about thirty feet from the dwelling, a deep male voice suddenly rose from the shadows surprising them.

"Who goes there?" asked the voice in a firm tone.

Aragorn stopped before the gate and replied.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. My companions and I are seeking refuge for the night. We are hunting Orcs in order to rescue two of our friends."

"Well then", said the voice as it came closer and closer, "any enemy of the Orcs is a friend of mine! You are welcome to stay here for the night."

And with that a man appeared in the doorway holding a small oil lamp he had just lit. He was a human of about Aragorn's height with medium-length brown hair, a strait nose and a firm jaw. He looked to be about 40 years of age. Unfortunately, the years had not been kind and he walked with a limp. He also carried a bit of a belly. However, he did look clean enough with his clean-shaven chin and relatively new-looking clothes, Legolas observed silently.

Aragorn smiled and moved forward, opening the gate. He was closely followed by both Legolas and Gimli.

"Thank you! These", Aragorn said with a gesture towards his companions, "are my companions, Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood and son of King Thranduil, and Gimli, son of Glóin."

The man nodded with a grin to each in turn before introducing himself.

"I am Jonalir, son of Gansein and I live here alone with but my young daughter for company. I hope you are hungry for she will return soon from the hunt."

Gimli arched an eyebrow in surprise.

"Your daughter does the hunting?" he asked somewhat disbelievingly.

Jonalir looked sad for a moment before he responded.

"Yes, I fell from the roof a few years back and have permanently damaged myself in the process. I can no longer ride or hunt. Having no son, my daughter had to take over the hunting and farming."

He seemed to shake himself mentally from his painful memories.

"But please, let us not discuss further until we are inside", he said as he turned back toward the house.

Aragorn and Gimli were about to enter the old abode when Legolas, who had turned away, said urgently "I hear someone approaching on horse."

All eyes turned in the direction Legolas was looking in, but none could see anything besides darkness. Suddenly, in the distance, a shape appeared. As the shape got closer, a rider and horse were revealed. Behind them, Jonalir lifted his lamp to get a better view of the rider. Aragorn saw that the man on the horse was quite small and was dressed entirely in black. Any more detail was hard to distinguish as the man wore a dark-colored cloak. The horse he rode was a magnificent beast that Aragorn and Legolas both admired. It was all black and very muscular with a nervous temper; its hooves edgily beating the earth with each step.

"That is my daughter", murmured Jonalir. "So, she is back already."

Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli all looked at Jonalir then at the rider, consternation dominating their expressions. They had all thought her a boy! As she got closer, her features became illuminated by Jonalir's lamp. A young girl with medium-length brown hair much like her father's was revealed. She had a straight nose and firm chin with a tough look about her. The expression in her green eyes was not one of welcome. From such a distance she could still have been taken for a boy, an impression Legolas felt she was only to happy to convey. Why? He did not know. Maybe as a protection from men as she rode alone in the woods, he thought.

In front of the gate, she brought her fiery mount to a halt and looked at the strangers with a frown.

"Father, are you well?" she asked in a firm voice that for all its firmness, was unable to disguise its feminine tilt.

Jonalir grinned at his daughter.

"Do not worry little one, these men mean us no harm."

Aragorn noticed that the girl still did not look happy at their presence but, after hearing those words, she seemed to relax slightly and even got down from her horse. She was turning to release a deer carcass from her saddle when her father spoke again.

"They are hunting Orcs that hold two of their friends captive."

Legolas saw the girl stiffen and stop what she was doing. But barely had he registered this that she had relaxed and turned around holding the deer, her face completely blank. Legolas frowned slightly. He knew he had not imagined it. She HAD reacted strongly to the mention of Orcs. Curious.

Moving past the gate, the girl stopped a good five feet away and looked them over.

"My name is Robyn, and you are?" she asked abruptly as she looked at Gimli.

Aragorn was the first to reply. He moved forward and took the deer from Robyn's unresisting hands and then heaved it onto his shoulder. "I am Aragorn and this is Legolas and Gimli" he said as he gestured to his companions.

Robyn looked at Aragorn closely, guardedly, then at Legolas, noticing his ears. Finally, she her gaze settled on Gimli.

"You keep interesting company for a man, Aragorn. An elf and a dwarf, no less", she said somewhat sarcastically.

With that, she turned away and went over to her father, kissing him on his cheek.

"Well father, I am glad I caught a deer as there will be plenty of meat for everyone. I will leave you to clean it and start a fire, while I unsaddle Rassel and start on the vegetables. I hope we will have time to cook the meal and eat it before the rain comes."

She then turned around and went back to her horse, leading him towards the old stable.

Legolas and Gimli started a fire while Aragorn and Jonalir cleaned the deer. After Robyn had brought out some vegetables, they cooked everything over the fire. Once ready, they all savored the succulent vegetables and tender meat.

"Much better than _Lembas_", Gimli said while looking at Legolas with a grin.

The elf cast him a dirty look, but did not rise to the bait.

Aragorn went on to tell his host's of their story and how they had come to be there. He even told them about the One ring and the Fellowship's mission to destroy it, to Legolas and Gimli's surprise. For some reason Aragorn seemed to trust these humans.

When the story came to an end, Jonalir looked down into the fire with a somber look.

"One can only hope that you and the Hobbits will succeed or all Middle Earth will suffer. We knew something was going on as the Orc sightings have increased in these parts, but I would never have expected this! I thought as many, I am sure, that the One ring was a myth. Although", he continued pensively, "that would explain why, the other day, I saw Orcs of a different kind walking quite a distance from here."

Aragorn and Gimli sat up while Legolas looked at Robyn surreptitiously as he felt a strong emotion emanating from her. Why such fear, or was that hate, at the mention of Orcs? He had no more time to wonder on the issue for Aragorn spoke and his attention wavered back to the conversation at hand.

"Those are Uruk-hai. They are the ones we seek! They are at the service of the traitor, Saruman. Can you tell us how long ago they passed by here?"

Their host thought for a few seconds before answering. " About a day and a half ago I would say."

Robyn suddenly got up. "I hope those Orcs receive a painful and torturous death", she forced out with gritted teeth.

"Robyn?" Jonalir looked both puzzled and astonished by his daughter's outburst, as did his guests.

Robyn looked down and murmured, "I am going to sleep now. I will leave some extra blankets out for your guests. Goodnight."

Then she turned away and went inside.

Jonalir watched her leave, puzzled and somewhat worried. He did not understand his daughter sometimes. She had changed so much! He felt a sudden urge to explain at least part of her behavior so that his guests would not think too badly of her.

"I apologize for my daughter's behavior. She has changed greatly in the last year, turning from a happy and vibrant child into a withdrawn stranger. It started to happen shortly after that horse of hers threw her and she got hurt", Jonalir paused deep in thought. His guest listened silently. "That day, she came back here in a terrible state, bleeding and bruised. Apparently, Rassel had got scared because of some wild boar and had thrown and then trampled her. I knew that Rassel was still partially wild, but I would never have expected this! The strange thing is that although Robyn changed completely, within a few weeks she was back to riding that brute. And most surprising of all is that he never threw her again."

Jonalir frowned and looked at his guests who were attentively listening to his words. "I do not know why I tell you this, maybe I too feel that you can be trusted."

Aragorn nodded and spoke. "You can indeed trust us. We would never harm either you or your daughter in any way. As for Robyn's behavior, do not worry yourself for we have not gathered a bad impression of her."

"Thank you", Jonalir replied with relief clearly visible in his voice.

Slowly, but surely the rain began to fall around them as if the gods were crying after hearing a sad story. Jonalir got up. "I guess this is as good a time as any to turn in for the night. I am sure you need your rest if you are to catch those Uruk-hai."

All four entered the house. Inside it was quite small but homely. Gimli was relieved to notice that here, there was no evidence of the holes in the outer walls and roof. Thankfully, no rain was coming in. Legolas looked around, noting books on a table that someone was obviously reading. Apart from that, the room boasted very few things beyond the bare necessities of chairs, plates and glasses. Jonalir led them to one of two rooms that was furnished with one small bed and a dresser. On the bed were the extra blankets Robyn had promised.

"You may sleep here. I will let you to decide who sleeps on the bed and who gets the floor. I hope you have a good night's sleep gentlemen. If you need anything, I will be in the other room with my daughter. Goodnight", he said softly.

"Goodnight", echoed Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn. "And thank you again for your hospitality", Aragorn added gratefully.

"You are most welcome", Jonalir said with a smile before closing the door and walking away towards his daughter's room.

"Who gets the bed...", Aragorn started as he turned away from the door.

Gimli was already lying full length on the bed. "I do", replied the dwarf with a hint of a smile as he saw the man and elf's reaction to the news.

And so the King and the Prince were left to sleep on the floor.

Meanwhile Jonalir stepped into the adjoining room and found his daughter asleep on the floor. She knew that he had back problems and had not wanted to let him sleep on the hard wooden floor. What a generous daughter he had! That was probably why she had gone to bed early, so that he would not argue with her. The stranger's across the room probably thought she was a little savage for the way she had acted; yet had they seen this, they would have immediately understood what an amazing daughter he had. He would not have replaced her for ten boys. He knelt down next to her and gently kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight my loving daughter", he whispered tenderly.

He got undressed and turned off the oil lamp he was carrying before getting into bed. Within minutes he was asleep.

In the other room, one of his guests was not asleep. As an elf, Legolas did not require as much sleep as humans and dwarfs. Spending hours in thought during the night was not a rare occurrence for him. At the moment, his thoughts returned to the night's events, mostly concerning a particular young girl. He was certain that there was more to her than met the eye, but he knew not what. One of the mysteries was her way of dressing. She tried to look more like a boy than a girl. She even wore breeches, something that Legolas had never seen before in a lady! Yet for all her manly haircut and clothing, up close, one could tell she was of the female gender. Her features and her voice were still too feminine to be those of a man. As he continued to think, Legolas reached the slumber of the elves. All was quiet in the abode.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: **_This chapter contains abuse. Please do not read if you are not mature.

**_Chapter __2 : Attack of the Orcs_**

Legolas came out of his slumber when he heard a noise outside. He sat up from his position on the floor and listened. He did not have to wait long as he heard the sound again. He recognized it immediately as the footsteps and the low grunting of Orcs. Tossing away his blanket, he jumped up and reached for his bow and quiver. "Orcs!", he yelled.

Pulling on his quiver, he ran out of the room. Aragorn and Gimli both woke up with a start at Legolas' words. Within seconds they had also reached for their weapons and were rushing out of the bedroom. Sleeping with their clothes on and their weapons close had become a habit a long time ago. This advantage had payed off tonight as well.

As they entered the kitchen, the man and dwarf saw that Legolas had just opened the front door and was already shooting arrows into the night.

As they rushed to his side and out the door, they saw dozens of Orcs running toward them with weapons ablaze. The fight had begun...

Legolas systematically killed Orcs with his bow and arrows, while Aragorn slayed them with his sword and Gimli felled them with his ax.

Meanwhile, Jonalir had been slower to wake, but had also heard Legolas' cry. Immediately, he had turned to his daughter, who was already up and getting dressed in black breeches and a white shirt.

"Robyn, you stay here! Do not move", he shouted in dread as he in turn, got out of bed and began to dress.

"But father, you need help!"

Jonalir closed his eyes momentarily, gathering his emotions. This is what he had been fearful of.

"I am serious little one, stay here. Besides, I already have all the help that I need", he insisted firmly.

Fully dressed, he rushed out of the room and closed the door behind him. He then grabbed his sword from the chair and joined his guest that had already killed a over a dozen Orcs. They lay on the ground at various angles, their bodies covered in a thick purplish blood. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement. With a swift swing he pierced the abdomen of the Orc that had been about to slay him and ignored the pain that shot through his back. Looking up, he saw one of Legolas' arrows whiz by him, killing another Orc behind him. He did not have time to thank the elf before he was attacked again.

The sounds of the battle reached Robyn as she sat on the bed, her hands in fists and her knuckles white. She could hear the grunts and squeals of the Orcs. She tried not to think of it, but her thoughts went back to the last time she had heard such a similar sound...

That day, close to one year ago, she had been riding Rassel in the forest looking for food. It had been a beautiful day with the sun beating down on her and the butterflies flying around her. However, her day had taken an irrevocable turn after rounding a corner and coming upon three Orcs of a kind she had never encountered before.

They were huge, much taller and broader than regular Orcs. Their faces were dark, nearly black, their teeth were horrifyingly large and pointy and their hair was long and dry, like straw. Fear shot through her spine and settled in her belly at the sight of the long weapons in their hands and the malicious glance they threw her way. They were terrifying! Immediately she turned Rassel away and tried to escape. Unfortunately, one of the Orcs was close enough to grab her leg and pulled her off Rassel. She yelped as she fell off Rassel and hit the ground hard. Winded she tried to struggle and get up but the Orcs were upon her, holding her down. She barely had time to catch her breathe and yell out in horror before her nostrils were assailed by a foul smell and rough hands were clawing at her clothes, ripping it off her. She fought and screamed but to no avail. Panic leaped in her throat, cutting off her air supply. At some point her hoarse screams must have angered one of the Orcs for he started to hit her. At that same moment, she felt another Orc tear at her pants. It was then that her muddled brain finally caught on to their intent. Rape!

"Nooooo...stoppppp", she yelled, her voice raspy from the pain of the blows.

The Orcs did not stop. Robyn felt nausea well up in her throat and choke her as one of them pulled her hair roughly, forcing her head back, before biting her shoulder, drawing blood and liking it away with his slimy purple tongue. She stiffened in horror as another Orc licked her hip bone while the third touched her chest intimately with his rough hands.

An authoritative voice suddenly boomed from somewhere above her. Robyn nearly missed it above her own screams and the Orc`s deep growling. The deep voice spoke again, this time with anger. Robyn barely registered that the voice was not speaking in common tongue.

Incredibly, the Orcs stopped and looked at the new comer, their hands still holding her down. Blood was pouring down from an unknown cut on her forehead and into her eyes. She squinted and looked up. Through a haze, she saw a black horse covered in a heavy armor. Looking higher, she glimpsed a horseman wearing a black armor. Only his face was visible. His skin was dark and his eyes eerily black. Long wisps of black hair escaped his helmet. His expressionless eyes were wandering over her, taking in every detail of her appearance.

Hope kindled to life inside her. Was he going to save her from the Orcs? The horseman dismounted from his steed and approached her. As he got closer, Robyn noticed a long scar on his left cheek. It still looked red and raw even though it had obviously healed a long time ago.

"Well, Well, What do we have here?", he asked maliciously, a slight smile appearing on his thin lips. Robyn cringed, petrified to the spot in fear by the coldness she heard in his voice. He stopped a few feet away and looked down are her with a dark smile, apparently enjoying the evidence of her struggles in the form of rippled clothes, a battered body and dirty, matted hair.

Robyn tried to crawl back and away from the tall horseman and the evil aura she felt emanating from him in waves. A growl and claws lacerating her wrists, where the Orcs held her, reminded her that escape was impossible at the moment. She watched the horseman with growing fear, thankful for the hair that covered her eyes and partly shielded her face from his nefarious gaze. Stuck in her nightmare, she barely noticed that the horseman's smile suddenly froze on his cruel lips as his eyes alighted on her throat and the jewel that was nestled there.

She cringed in fear and struggled against the Orcs as the horseman knelt at her side and abruptly pushed her hair away from her face. He looked at her for a moment, his eyes roaming over her features.

"Shok-izub", he whispered darkly.

Robyn turned her head away from his hand. What was he saying?

The horseman let her go and looked at the Orcs, speaking in common tongue for the first time.

"Release her", he ordered abruptly. "She is not yours to take".

Hope crashed into her like a tidal wave as the Orcs growled angrily before reluctantly, but obediently, releasing her. She immediately tried to cover herself as best she could, ignoring the horseman in front of her. The horseman spoke again, reverting to another language again as Robyn rubbed at her poor lacerated wrists. As he spoke, the Orcs got up and moved away from her, gathering their armor and putting them back on. She heard them growl softly in displeasure and shivered. They obviously weren't happy with what the horseman was telling them. While fear still dominated her, she could still think enough to gather two things: They all knew each other and the horseman was the leader somehow. She trembled again. Was she safe now or in greater danger? Inconspicuously, she looked around for Rassel but did not see him or anyone but her foul company. She bit her lip in thought. She could try and make a run for it but she doubted she would get away from them. She was injured, trembling in pain and without a horse at the moment.

Her gaze returned to the Orcs just as two of them gave her a last hungry look before nodding to the horseman and running off after the other Orc, along the river bank.

Robyn gasped as her arm was taken in a vice grip. Panicking she looked back at the horseman. He was still kneeling before her and was holding her with one hand while the other was unlacing his armor. She yelped in fear as he suddenly and forcefully pushed her back and straddled her legs. No! This couldn't be happening.

"Let me go! No!", she screamed at him, struggling against his hold with all her remaining strength.

Her head hit the ground hard as the horseman pushed her down roughly with one surprisingly strong forearm while his other hand tore her pants further down her legs. Robyn saw stars and struggled haphazardly against her aggressor.

"I want you. Don't fight me. There is no point", he growled in common tongue as he pinned her down with his body and used a hand to release his pants.

Robyn screamed with renewed efforts and hit the horseman in the face with her small fist. The man above her swore and hit her back with brute strength. Robyn felt a harsh blow to her cheek and saw stars explode behind her eyes. Her struggles and screams stopped as she swam in and out of consciousness. The horseman took the opportunity to rape her. Over the next minutes, all she felt were snippets of pain interrupted with periods of numbness and vertigo...

Fire suddenly leaped into her chest. Robyn gasped as consciousness returned for a moment. Through the intense pain, she felt a warm liquid slide down her waist and pool in her belly button.

"You are mine. No other man will want you now..." the brutal voice growled against her ear. Robyn did not hear the rest as she thankfully lost consciousness again.

When Robyn next came too, she was alone in the forest and Rassel was poking at her softly with his nose. She groaned and turned on her side to try and get up. Every muscle in her body was screaming in pain. But nothing compared to the pain in her chest and between her legs. Gathering her strength, she managed to pull up her pants over her throbbing body and sit up before looking down are herself. She literally died inside as she saw her ripped shirt now soaked in blood and the cuts on her chest. The horseman had marked her using a knife! He had carved long lines into her chest! Her soul withered at the gory sight and she looked away, starring listlessly at Rassel. The horse nudged her with his nose but she did not respond. She was lost in a world of pain and despair. She had no idea how long she stayed like that.

Finally, Rassel pushed her harder and she blinked. Robyn would have gladly stayed there awaiting death were it not for the reminder of Rassel and her father. She needed to get back. He would worry about her. She could not let her father worry. He had suffered enough. Shutting off her thoughts, Robyn pulled the tattered pieces of her shirt around her, hiding her chest as best she could and then reached for Rassel. The horse seemed to understand and knelt down so that she could climb onto him. She cried out in pain as she heaved herself slowly and painfully onto his back. As Rassel walked away, Robyn hung on to his mane and started to cry.

As she got closer to home, her thoughts went back to what had just happened. She realized that she did not understand why the horseman had not killed her. She wished that he had. Instead she would now have to live her entire life knowing what he and the Orcs had done to her. Yet, throughout all this one thought remained with her. She loved her father and would not want to leave him alone in the world. He had already lost his wife to disease when Robyn was five, and she promised herself that he would not lose his daughter too. With his failing health, he also could not take care of himself alone.

It was at that moment that she had decided to hide what had happened to her. She did not want her father to feel any more grief, and most of all, she did not want to admit what had happened to her. She wanted to forget it! Out of mind, out of reality. Her decision taken, she had ridden back home and lied to her father, in order to cover up for her state. She had told him that Rassel had panicked in front of a boar and that he had thrown her. She had landed in some spiny bushes that had torn her clothes and cut her deeply. When she had got out, the boar was still around and Rassel had trampled her in panic. Having never lied before, her father had believed her every word. She had felt terrible for lying but the alternative, telling him the truth, would have been a fate worse than death.

Robyn came out of her troubled thoughts as she heard the pained squeal of an Orc outside the house. She hated those beings with a blind rage. They had tried to rape her, had touched her body intimately, had injured her and most of all they had given her to the horseman who had raped and marked her. These creatures and their leader were the reason she had become a shadow of her former self and also why she had learned how to use a sword. And here was her chance to take a few of them with her. She had no illusions. She knew that she was no great swordsman and would probably die if she joined the battle. But then again, it would be worth it just to see a few of those Orcs die a painful death. In her fear and rage, completely gone from her mind was her promise to stay alive for her father. Running to her dresser, she removed her sword from it's surface and left the room.

Outside, it was chaos. Everywhere there were Orcs, some dead and some still fighting. Robyn was relieved to see that these were not the same Orcs who had hurt her that day. Nonetheless, she still felt hatred fill her soul. She turned around and raised her sword just in time to stop one of them from killing her. She felt anger flow through her as she remembered the pain that these creature's kin had inflicted on her. Lifting her sword she fought back, clashing with the Orc's weapon before slicing the blade into it's neck, killing it. In this manner, she shakily killed another Orc. No others came. She looked around. Was the battle finished now? Where they all dead?

Her gaze landed on the elf, Legolas, as he skilfully and easily killed the last Orc near him with the swift stroke of his daggers. The elf looked up at her and frowned. She ignored him and let her eyes wander over to the dwarf, Gimli, who was felling a fallen Orc. Where was her father? Her gaze turned to Aragorn who was kneeling next to a body.

Suddenly, she gasped as she recognized her father's clothes on the body. Father? She ran over and knelt beside Aragorn.

"Father! Father!", she screamed.

Although it was dark, she saw that he was bleeding from somewhere close to his heart. He was having trouble breathing but his eyes were still alert, astonishingly so. At the sound of her voice, his eyes turned to her for a moment then went back to Aragorn.

"Promise me…..Aragorn…Please.", her father pleaded with a cough.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas and Gimli join them but she ignored them, her attention entirely focused on her father.

"Father do not speak, you will tire yourself out", she urged chokingly, tears sliding down her pale cheeks.

To her astonishment he ignored her, continuing instead to stare pleadingly at Aragorn.

"Please", he begged again, his voice weaker this time.

Aragorn grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"I promise you, Jonalir, son of Gansein, that I will take care of your daughter", he promised fervently, sorrow in his voice.

Jonalir closed his eyes and sighed.

"Thank you…my friend….Thank you", he murmured brokenly.

And with that he drew his last breath, turning towards his beloved daughter and whispering,

"I lo...ve…..y...o...u", before he died.

"Nooo", Robyn screamed, leaning over him and holding onto his shoulders. "Please father, do not leave me alone in this world! Please!"

She started to cry like she had only once before. After a few moments, Aragorn took hold of her arm and tried to pry her away. She fought him, prying his hand away and went back to hugging her father and crying. Aragorn sighed, got up and tore her body away from her father's lifeless body, lifting her to her feet. She resisted for a moment longer then seemed to lose all energy and just stood there, staring at her father's body. Aragorn held on to her limp hand and turned to Legolas and Gimli who were looking on with much sadness in their eyes.

"Please bury him to preserve his honour, but hurry. More Orcs may yet come", he whispered urgently before leading an unresisting Robyn into the house.

Once inside, he leaned down in front of Robyn so he could see her eyes. His hands rubbed gently at her shoulders, trying to get her attention and provide some warmth. He realized that she in shock.

"Robyn, I know this is a terrible moment for you but we must hurry as more Orcs may arrive. Gather a few things and meet us outside. Can you do that?", he asked gently.

Robyn did not react. She stared unseeingly at the door leading outside.

"Robyn", he shook her her shoulders a little "please do as I say", he said a little more firmly.

She looked up at him and nodded with tears still streaming down her face. He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, but now was not the time. He left her and went to saddle Rassel and the other horse. Unfortunately, he only found one saddle and bridle so he was only able to prepare the gray mare.

As he led her near the house, he saw Robyn standing there with a bag in her hand, looking down at a dead Orc. Suddenly, she kicked the creature once and then again.

"Robyn", he called out.

She did not respond and kicked the Orc again. He said her name again, this time more loudly. She looked up with hatred still clear in her eyes. He had to make her think of something else.

"Where is the saddle and bridle for the other horse?", he asked gently as he took the gray bag she was carrying and tied it to the mare's saddle.

"We have no other, we had to sell them as father could no longer ride and we needed the money", she answered flatly.

Aragorn felt his heart tighten, for as she mentioned her father, tears had once again welled in her eyes. He was about to speak but she forestalled him.

"It does not matter, I can ride without a saddle", she whispered listlessly.

"So can I", added Legolas from behind Robyn. Gimli stood next to him with a shovel in his hand.

"Good" replied Aragorn. "Gimli and I will ride the mare. Gimli can you get the stallion."

Gimli nodded, dropped the shovel and walked past the young girl and into the old stable.

Aragorn turned and mounted the gray mare.

"Wait", Robyn spoke. "I want to see my father", she said with a wavering tone as she turned away.

"Legolas", she heard from behind her.

A cool male hand caught her wrist and stopped her.

"There is nothing to see little one. Understand, we cannot linger here any longer. If more Orcs come and in greater numbers, we may all be in danger", Aragorn explained gently.

Robyn, looked away from Aragorn and up at the elf who held her wrist. His eyes were serious but otherwise expressionless. How could he be so collected at a moment like this? Feeling anger well up inside her, she tried to wrench her wrist out of his hand. His hand did not budge and she could not get away. She tried harder. Nothing. His arm did not even sway from her efforts. How could someone so lithe and light be so strong? She glared at him. Anger felt good right now. Much better than despair over her father's death. The elf looked back at her calmly, for a moment, before purposefully letting her hand go to take the rope that the dwarf was offering and that had been used to lead Rassel out of the stable.

"Come", Aragorn called to Gimli. The dwarf walked up to the mare and lifted his hand, accepting help from the Dunadaìn. Legolas watched him until Gimli was comfortably seated behind Aragorn. He was surprised the stubborn dwarf had accepted help. Then again, maybe Gimli was more sensitive than he gave him credit for and understood that now was not the time for stubbornness.

Legolas turned to the stallion and spoke a few words in Elvish to the proud horse. The horse listened for a moment, his ears twitching then lowered his head and neighed in response. Legolas smiled gently and removed the rope from the horse, tying it to his quiver strap before jumping seamlessly onto Rassel's back. The stallion did not move an inch, much to Robyn's surprise. She had never seen the stallion accept any other rider than herself...and her father.

"Come", Legolas repeated Aragorn's command as he leaned down and offered his hand to Robyn.

Robyn just there, eyes unseeing, as sorrow once again engulfed her. Her father. How was this possible? How could he be dead?

Legolas exchanged a worried glance with Aragorn. Then he reached out, circled Robyn's waist with one arm, and effortlessly picked her off the ground and set her gently in front of him on Rassel. A slight tensing at his touch was her only reaction.

Aragorn silently pressed his feet against the mare's flanks and she moved away from the house. Legolas spoke softly in Elvish to Rassel who immediately followed the mare.

Robyn was in a turmoil of pain. Half in a daze of shock she nonetheless was able to force herself to turn and look one last time at the house where she was born and grew up. As they got a little further away, she saw her father's grave made from a pile of rocks. She had the feeling she would never see this place again. Once again, tears gathered in her eyes and she looked away from her childhood memories.

Legolas felt much sympathy for this human child who had lost so much in one night. In a way, he was relieved that Aragorn had agreed to take responsibility for her because he felt that they might be partly responsible for what had happened. Indeed, the Orcs may have been looking specifically tracking them. In which case, the attack would not have been a random event but a direct cause of their presence. They rode off into the night moving away from the forest and back towards the plains.


End file.
